New Gaslight Anthem: “45”

The Jersey punks are back with the first single from the upcoming fourth record, Handwritten. The band tells Rolling Stone that they “wished to return to the driving punk rock that ignited” their early work.

True to their word, the song’s a little heavier (relatively speaking, of course) than anything on 2010’s American Slang. I’d argue that “45” fits between Slang and its predecessor The ’59 Sound, both the album and title track of which I have raved about in the past.

Lyrically, the song continues the band’s penchant for its old-school references and Springsteenisms, especially during the (anthemic as always) chorus: “Turn the record over/ See ya on the flip side/ There you go, turn the key and engine over.”

You can hear “45” over at RS’s website, where they hold a exclusive stream. Go do it now, it’s fucking awesome.

You can get the single on iTunes May 8, while Handwritten comes out July 24.